David Norris (Independent)

They have a very peculiar view and perhaps they do not know that much about it. It is not a particularly safe country. Certain sections of it are extremely dangerous, particularly for women who may be subjected to genital mutilation, as one's female child might be if one is sent back there. There is a constitutional requirement on the Minister and on the Government to protect the rights of such children. I would remind the Minister that whereas the referendum entitles him to take away the citizenship rights of the parent, there is no entitlement to take away the citizenship rights of the child. It is the responsibility of the Minister and the Government to guarantee those rights but there are areas in which there has been a significant failure to do so.

I am glad that the Minister dealt with the passports for sale issue. It is about time that was done. That is what my colleague, Senator Quinn, was examining in his Bill which he has generously withdrawn for various reasons.

Why should students be excluded? The Government is encouraging people to come here to study. We have increased enormously the number of students we invite here and now we want to treble that number, yet we are saying that if someone is here for four years, acclimatising themselves, getting to love Irish culture and getting to understand the place, that period will not count. Are these not the very kind of people whose skills would be useful to the country? Why exclude them? It seems daft.